Summer Sons
by Limeish
Summary: AU One-shot: It's summer, and the gaang is free. Light Zutara, Sukka and Taang.


-**DISCLAIMER:** I would really love to own Avatar, but I don't. No suing please.

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It was somewhat lucky no cars had been driving down the deserted country lane, for at that time any driver most likely would've ended up with his or her windshield full of teenager.

The old dirt path, winding its way through the grassy, rolling hills, was dominated by six of the aforementioned age group, three bicycles and one very large, shaggy white dog. Each bicycle held a passenger in the wide, dipped handlebars, and the dog bounded alongside them, barking loudly to accompany the whooping shouts of its owners.

Three girls, three boys, one of each for each age- thirteen (_almost_ fourteen thankyouverymuch), fourteen (only just), fifteen (for another _week_), two of sixteen years (and sweet it was), and seventeen (you're so _old_, Zuko!). The youngest boy and girl dominated the first bicycle; both in beige shorts and t-shirts, the former yellow, the latter a vibrant green. The sun glinted off the boy's pale, bald head as he bowed it against the wind, concentrating hard with his tongue stuck out comically to one side. The girl's glossy bangs were fluttering into her eyes, but she didn't seem to care.

The two taller teens, one dark as the other was fair, lagged behind as the younger boy zoomed along ahead of them, laughing gleefully as his passenger shrieked and clung to his thin fingers. Toph was half terrified, half elated by the sensation- on the one hand she was completely helpless, but on the other the feel of the wind whipping her cheeks and blowing back her shirt was too wonderful not to enjoy.

"Aang, be careful with her!" called the girl on the pale boy's bike, letting out a yelp as he sped up suddenly, jerking the handlebars, causing Katara to abandon her admonishments and to nearly fall into his lap. Her flowing blue skirt was patterned whimsically with tiny dots, and it flapped desperately as it was buffeted in the breeze. He smirked, hair rippling back off his handsome face as his strong legs pumped the pedals faster and faster until they were neck and neck with Aang and Toph.

"Stop being such a mom, Sweetness!" came Toph's reply, muffled slightly by the wind and the clinking of gears. It would've sounded bratty and cruel in anyone else's mouth, but everyone present knew it was meant as gentle teasing- or at least her idea of gentle teasing, anyway.

"C'mon, Sokka, go faster!" shouted Suki, who pointed straight ahead towards their friends and whooped as her boyfriend pedaled as if his life depended on it. She looked almost like the captain of a ship, standing boldly at the prow and sailing with determination into the great unknown. Sokka had his teeth bared in a fierce grimace, spluttering distractedly as Suki's short, auburn hair flapped into his face.

It was a race, now, and though everyone knew they would end up letting Aang win, they decided that it should at least be enjoyable in the meantime.

For it was the summer vacation, and not one of the six (plus Appa) was about to let it slip by. Months upon months of grueling hours in overheated, underlit and overcrowded classrooms and suddenly, they were released. They had planned to do this months in advance and they were finally free, free from lessons and homework (well, except for Katara, ever the overachiever, who had taken on an extra English class) and responsibility.

Okay, all but Zuko. He had been involved in something that could be described, more or less, as "accidental arson". In retrospect, setting fire to the Bio Lab the day of a Flogging Molly concert was probably not the smartest of his career moves to date, but mentioning this to him would only glean a reminiscent grin and a soft chuckle. His weekends were now presided over by a flock of annoyed-looking janitors as he was forced to remove any remaining scorchmarks on the walls. It was a mild punishment, considering; Iroh had gently persuaded (read: bribed) the school not to expel him shortly after the incident.

The older boys exchanged identical looks- looks that clearly read "death match" to anyone paying the slightest bit of attention, and began to go even faster. Their feet were now merely a blur of red and blue and the occasional glint of silver bike chain as they pedaled furiously, each determined to win. Uh, until the last moment, of course.

_Right._

Appa was still behind them, trotting along happily after he realized there was no way he was going to run_ that_ fast. There was a rather nice cow pasture off towards the left...

As they neared the desired field ten minutes later, Zuko and Sokka swapped glances again and slowed down ever-so-slightly, allowing the thirteen-and-fourteen-year-olds to zoom ahead, shrieking with triumph as they ended the race victoriously. Katara was more or less stuck to the handlebars from constant terror by now (damn Zuko and his reckless driving), and had to be piggy-backed to their destination. Not that either party involved minded much. Suki unwound the slightly-displaced bungee cords from the back of each bike and grabbed the picnic baskets, Sokka all too eager to help out.

They spread a blanket beneath a tall sycamore tree in the middle of a sunny, deserted field, chatting and joking and, of course, eating. They had packed sandwiches, bottles of Orangina and Sprite, gummi worms and cheetos, and everything else they could filch from their parents' cabinets. It tasted excellent, as only slightly-stolen food could. The shade protected them from the rays of the summer sun, and there was a haphazard little pile of hi-tops and sandals to one side as the gang scrunched their toes in the earth.

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Katara closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of the sun's rays bathing her eyelids with its dappled glow. Her hand rested gently upon her firm stomach, fingers tracing a swirling pattern in the layered blue tank tops.

"This is the life, huh guys?"

"Yeahhh," sighed Aang dreamily, twirling a dandelion between his toes. Zuko snorted, closing his eyes as well and stretched lazily, unfurling his leanly-muscled limbs like a cat in the sun.

"Hmm," hummed Toph in agreement, drumming her petite, cracked heels upon the earth and whacking Sokka none-too-gently on the arm. "What about you, Snoozles? Likin' the down time?"

Sokka, who had been sprawled out to Toph's left, rubbed his bicep and glared at the younger girl. "It'd be nicer if someone didn't keep flinging clumps of dirt at me every five minutes," he grumbled bitterly. At this, something dark and vaguely greenish came flying through the air and hit him, full on the mouth.

"Mmpghhh!" he shrieked, and jumped up, trying to cleanse his mouth of dirt while performing a ridiculous hopping dance on the spot. He kicked his legs higher as the tips of the tall grasses threatened to creep up through the wide legs of his shorts and tickle the insides of his thighs. Toph cackled, Aang started to giggle, and even Zuko gave a slow little grin as Sokka ran his hands repeatedly over his tongue.

"Toph! Come on, man, that wasn't funny," he whined, flopping back down on the ground between Aang and Katara, giving Toph both a sulky glare and a wide berth. Aang opened his eyes once this had occurred, his brow crumpling in disappointment. Katara frowned as well, but not from the placement so much as the fact that Sokka had whacked her on the head with one of his bony elbows.

"Ouch, Sokka! That hurt!"

"_Oooph!_"

"Aang, as much as I love the flora and fauna and whatever, get this dandelion _off of my face_."

"Sorry -_ow_- Toph, but Katara just whacked me in the stomach."

"Oops, I meant to get Sokka, are you okay?"

Zuko, who wasn't particularly pleased with the small blind girl's knee in his shin as everyone squirmed and tried to get settled again, opened his eyes and shot upright.

"Enough!" he shouted hoarsely. The teens and pre-teens stopped what they were doing to stare at him. There was grass stuck to the back of his crimson t-shirt, but no one was about to mention it to him. "Okay, new placement. Sokka, go away and sit with your girlfriend for god's sakes."

Suki, who had been nodding sleepily over her copy of _Pride and Prejudice_ under the tree, heard this and looked up, beaming. Sokka grumbled but didn't look too unhappy as he marched over and collapsed on the blanket next to her.

"Now, Toph, you're next to Katara, Aang goes next to Toph and I…" he sighed, running a hand through his hair, "I'll be in between Katara and Aang. Happy now?"

"Not particularly," mumbled Aang. Toph punched him in the ribcage.

"Twinkletoes, sit down or I'll start tossing dirt at you," she said, and the group reassumed positions in the now-flattened grass. Zuko hadn't moved, so Katara threw herself down beside him. As she did so, her head hit his outstretched wrist, causing the dark waves of her hair to cascade across his fingertips.

"Oops," she murmured, blushing slightly. She didn't know why, for they had been going out for a few months now, but she still blushed when they touched like this- accidentally, unintentional brushes. Zuko ran a curl through his thumb and forefinger momentarily, enjoying the silky quality before taking a deep breath and sliding his arm beneath her neck and over her shoulders.

They lay there in a perfect little circle, green and yellow beside red and blue, breathing deeply and enjoying the summer sunshine and the warm breezes while they lasted. You could even say, based on their appearances, that they resembled the four elements- earth, air, fire, water. Ages ascending, features and clothing contrasting greatly with the person beside them- Katara's rich cocoa and Zuko's porcelain, Aang's vein-revealing paleness, Toph's splatter of freckles across her nose. Sapphire, golden, silver and opal-colored orbs closed against the light.

When Sokka awoke several hours later, it was to the smell of wet grass and the feel of damp, sticky clothing, having been covered by the evening dew without even noticing it. Suki's glossy hair adorned his chest as she curled the crown of her head into his neck. He glanced over to where his friends had dropped off to sleep; Zuko had folded onto his side, Katara leaning into his chest, and Aang and Toph were cuddled like an old married couple, heads together and hands brushing. He grinned- he was so going to tease Toph about this later.

"Guys, we should probably get a move-" started Sokka, heading towards the little circle but Suki, who had seen the peaceful companionship so rarely displayed in waking hours, prevented his interruption with the simple action of stopping his mouth with hers. And Sokka's intentions of waking his friends didn't return for quite a long time.

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**Author's Note:** Okay, some major cheese going on here, and I am pretty obviously a) a Zutarian and b) in love with Zuko. XD But come on, I was having a crappy day, Gaang fluff is totally the best cure for that.

**Reviews are total love. **


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